Dairy production is the principal cause of environmental issues in the world, according to Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed, founding chairman of KBW Ventures and KBW Investments.

Known for his vegan lifestyle, and vocal campaigner on the benefits of veganism, Prince Khaled told a Dubai audience of the harmful effect that dairy farming was having in producing greenhouse gases.

“There's something that really does skip people's minds when we talk about the environment. I'd love everyone to take their actions into consideration when thinking of the environment - and I'm not talking about buying the next [Toyota] Prius, or the next Tesla, or opening up a few solar farms,” Prince Khaled told the audience at this year’s CEO Middle East awards at Dubai’s Rixos Premium, JBR.

“The number one contributor to global warming is factory farming. Greenhouse gases from animal agriculture contributes more to global warming than all the auto industry put together,” he added.

Prince Khaled said that was equivalent to every train, every car and every plane operating in the world today.

“Reducing eating meat, fish, and the root of all that is evil in my opinion, and many others, dairy from your diet will contribute more to your and to the environment than you could ever imagine,” he said.

“Please choose compassion over taste. We are all responsible for ending needless and unimaginable suffering that animals go through that directly affects our health and the world we live.

"Just remember one thing: peace starts at the table.”

Prince Khaled, the founding chairman of KBW Ventures and KBW Investments, was in Dubai to receive the Technology Investor of the year award at the CEO Middle East awards.

A few of the more notable investments Alwaleed’s portfolio include Prolacta Bioscience, Jelltor and Beyond Meat – all companies that develop new technologies with the potential to radically disrupt the future in a positive and meaningful way.

More recently, Prince Khaled revealed plans to transform hospitality and food service industry on a global scale with Californian plant-based chef Matthew Kenney.

The plan involves introducing vegan options on menus in restaurants around the world through the partnership created by Prince Khaled's KBW Ventures and Matthew Kenney called Folia.

The venture started with a plant-based menu at the Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills, which includes 10 wholesome, plant-based items including starters, entrées, and desserts created by Kenney.